The Dive Sites
The site
names that are underlined have links to a picture of that particular site.
Cooper River Sites:
Artifact Sites- The
primary locations of these sites are near old plantations along the riverbank.
Some are easily found from current buildings that are still standing and others
are only found by underwater search. The submerged areas along the river hide
the remains of old dock structures and debris fields of ballast stones removed
from vessels that were being loaded with the crops and goods from the
plantations. The sandy bottom in these locations protects and
holds many artifacts. With the tides and river movement these artifacts are
covered and uncovered in an endless cycle.
Wrecks- Charleston
was the main thoroughfare for the crops and goods shipped from the old southern
plantations. The Cooper River was the interstate system of the
old south. Charleston was the largest port on the eastern
seaboard and the Cooper River was the source of water flowing into
the port. Ships sailing to and from Europe sailed into the river for protection from storms and
to treat the hulls with fresh water to kill organisms that could only live in
salt water. These practices were followed since the 1400's. Many of the secrets
of old ship builders are discovered in the wrecks found along the river bottom. Not all boats were ocean going.
Many of the old barges used along the river loaded with items of trade were
lost to the river. The sites where ferries moved back and forth between the
riverbanks give the perfect site to look for the lost items of their passengers
as they dropped empty bottles and personal items into the river. Revolutionary
and Civil war battles sent many vessels to the bottom. With these war losses the boats
and contents were added to the history found on the river bottom.
Fossil Beds- The Cooper River has a hard clay bottom. The movement of rocks and sand by
the current in the river settles into gravel beds with the lighter sand
settling into bars along the bottom. The fossils, bones and shark teeth
settle into the gravel area to form the fossil beds.
Lake Jocassee Sites:
Posted Depths
are with the lake at full pond.
Quarry--The quarry is a 30 acre cove on
the eastern shore of Lake Jocassee, best known as "The
Wall." It has a wide variety of depths and an average visibility of 20+
feet. In the early days of the season, the visibility extends to around 40
feet. The quarry was created when granite was blasted from the side of the
mountain to construct an earthen dam leaving a sheer wall that rises almost 100
feet out of the water. Directly below this sheer wall, the blasting created an
underwater playground, where additional underwater attractions have been added
over the years. The wall descends to approximately 30 feet where it flattens
out to form a ledge that is 30 yards wide. It then drops vertically to a depth
of 65 feet, the depth of the majority of the cove. This 65-foot ledge then
drops vertically to a depth of 175 feet and continues at a steep angle downward
to approximately 365 feet. The quarry is only accessible by boat and offers a
wide variety of diving.
Junk-- Located at the wall, the Junk is
a 40 ft. Chinese sailboat. It is resting in 65 feet of water at the top of the
deep wall. It is almost fully intact and is easily penetrable. Fish life is
usually very plentiful around the wreck.
Basketball
Goal--
This site is located at the quarry in 40 feet of water near the 65 foot wall.
What makes this site so exciting is that we play one-on-one basketball. How? A
bowling ball makes a great basketball underwater.
Motorcycle--Also at the quarry, the motorcycle
is in 30 feet of water and is in the same area as the Basketball Goal. Jump
right on, purge your regulator, and feel the wind in your face!
Training Platform--In
the same area as the Basketball Goal and Motorcycle, the training platform sits
in 25 feet of water and is in the same area as the Basketball Goal and the
Motorcycle. This area is perfect for classes and checkout dives. The platform
allows students to easily demonstrate their skills.
Dam--Sorry
the Dam is now closed to boats as of 1-20-2003
Graveyard-- As seen in the movie Deliverance.
This site is located on the open body of the lake and is in 138 feet of water.
It was the old Mount
Carmel
Church graveyard. The church was moved out
of the valley before the lake was filled. Most of the graves were exhumed and
relocated to another site. There are several markers that were left behind, as
well as some of the curbs that once surrounded the plots. This is considered to
be a technical dive beyond normal sport diving ranges. It has very good
visibility, but it can be a little chilly.
Jellyfish Hill --This
is the top of a mountain that rises to 25 foot below the surface out in the
middle of the lake. So named, for the sighting September 2002 of a Freshwater
Jellyfish on top of the hill. The North side of the hill slopes steeply into a
tree line at 80 foot and on to 150 +. The other three sides are more gently
sloping and more open with the exception of 60 or more Christmas trees
scattered on the South side of the hill and there is a single motor boat sunk
at this site on the eastern slope.
Attakulla Lodge -- This building stands in 300 foot
on the bank of what was the White Water River. The building is 2 1/2 stories tall
and is intact. The Attakulla Lodge served as a hotel from 1904 into the 1950's.
The lodge is the centerpiece of the book Jocassee Remembered by Debbie Fletcher. The book recounts her memories as
a little girl visiting here Grandfather who owned the lodge. There is a
permanent down line to moor and descend to the lodge. We located the lodge in
July 2004 and have done 3 perimeter dives to this date. There will be interior
explorations as the dive site is surveyed and evaluated.
Steel Bridge &
Jocassee Camp For Girls --
The Bridge spans the Whitewater River one mile down stream of the
Attakulla Lodge and sits in front of the gates to the Jocassee Camp For girls.
The bridge lies in 320 foot of water. It's span was
over 75 foot long and is a pony girder, bridge design. There is a line from the
bridge to the beautiful stone pillars that still stand on each side of the
driveway. The white picket gates still hang on the pillars greeting divers to
the camp entrance. This Camp is still being explored to determine if any of the
buildings still stand.
Lake Keowee Sites:
Pump
House--The
Pump House is a three story brick building that served as the town of Seneca's drinking water treatment plant
prior to the creation of the lake. The building sits on the side of a slope in
80 feet of water and rises to a depth of 50 ft. where the chimneys are located.
The floors and ceilings are made of concrete so the building is very stable.
The window openings are large so penetrating the structure with wreck line
reels is easy for those experienced and properly equipped..
There are several open rectangular concrete tanks with ladders going down into
them off to one side. Reminiscent of swimming pools.
The roof was framed construction and has collapsed down onto the top floor of
concrete. The chimneys and walls of this top floor rise up and usually have
several large fish cruising around.
Hot Hole--This
site is in 40 feet of water and is supplied with warm water by the Oconee
Nuclear Station. The warm water is the return flow from the cooling system of
the power plant. The dive site is approximately 20 acres of cove that has a
constant current that eddies around to allow for a very unique drift dive.
These waters offer the very best conditions for fish to spawn in the spring and
stay warm all winter. Local fishing clubs will not permit their members to fish
in this area because it is considered unsportsmanlike. There being too many
fish in the concentrated area. Fish life varies from schools of thousands of
Shad to Brim and Large Mouth Bass. The bottom is swept of silt and is covered
with rocks and sand. There are underwater rip-rap slopes that line the channel
and offer relief above the bottom. The center of the current can offer a challenge to a
diver but the edges of the cove will amaze you with the life and a gentle
current. This area is perfect for people who like their diving warm and full of
aquatic life.
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